Chapter 394: Cancel the Engagement
Hayley’s POV
My movements instinctively came to a halt. After taking a few deep breaths, I calmed myself and asked in a steady voice, “Then, for you, what kind of girl is worthy of Benjamin?”
Odessa glanced at me with disdain, pulled up a photo on her phone, and held it out in front of me. “At the very least, someone like this!” she said. “This is the daughter of the SK Pack’s alpha, a high-ranking Beta.”
“You’re familiar with the SK Pack, right? One of the strongest packs on the East Coast, and they’ve been our allies for years. Only girls like this are worthy of Ben.”
I glanced at the girl in the photo—she was indeed very beautiful and had a graceful aura. “Well, if you think I’m not good enough for Ben, why don’t you talk to him and have him cancel the engagement himself?” I said, with a smile.
This marriage was arranged by Grandpa Southwell before his death. I knew Benjamin had always respected Grandpa Southwell’s wishes, and Odessa, as his mother, was well aware of that. Normally, it wouldn’t be a problem, but this was Grandpa Southwell’s last wish. Given Benjamin’s personality, unless I was the one to bring up canceling the engagement, he would never do it on his own. I said this on purpose.
When Odessa heard what I said, she immediately exploded with anger. “Ms. Carson, the reason I’m saying this is to make you realize the gap between you and Ben. Ben is a filial child; he would never defy his grandfather’s wishes.”
I smiled and replied calmly, “So, what you’re implying is that you can’t persuade your own son, and now you’re hoping to convince me, an outsider with no blood relation?”
“I’m simply trying to open your eyes! You and Ben are not a good match. Having you as his Luna wouldn’t contribute to the future of our Midnight Pack. All you’d do is make him the subject of gossip and damage the Southwell family’s reputation! Other packs will mock us when they find out that the Luna of Midnight Pack is just a low-ranking Omega.”
I had planned to reveal that I was an alpha, but seeing how she looked down on low-ranking Omegas with such blatant disrespect, I decided to keep my alpha identity hidden for now. “I admit that our Shadow Pack is more isolated and not as advanced or thriving as the Midnight Pack. But I never believed being an Omega means you don’t deserve any respect. Some Omegas are just as...”
She replied coldly, “No matter how you put it, an Omega is worthless in my eyes. They don’t deserve to be the mate of a higher-ranking werewolf! I don’t care about what happened between you and Ben in the past. But now that I’m back, I’m making it clear, I don’t want you two together. If you insist on it, don’t blame me for using any means necessary.”
Hearing her warning, I fully understood—she would never accept me as Benjamin’s mate. Hera, furious, wanted to come out and teach her a lesson, but I kept her under control. After all, she was Benjamin’s mother, and I had to show her some respect.
I suppressed the discomfort in my heart, released my grip, and spoke slowly. “Mrs. Southwell, I respect you! It’s because you’re Ben’s mother. I want your approval and your blessing. But if that isn’t possible, I won’t force it. If you want me to stay away from your son, I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can do that. If there’s nothing else, I think our conversation is over.”
Odessa looked at me with a cold, mocking smile. “You think that just because of some so-called feelings between you two, you can defy me? Let me make it clear, for me, the last thing worth discussing is feelings.”
“If you’re so determined to be with Ben, I won’t say much more. But let me give you one piece of advice: Nothing in this world stays the same, especially for someone like Ben, an alpha. Protecting the Midnight Pack is always going to be his top priority.”
“Thank you for the advice, but it seems you don’t quite understand your son. His thoughts may not align with yours. In fact, what you said today hasn’t weakened my resolve to be with him. Instead, it has only strengthened my determination. I’m feeling a bit tired, so I’ll head upstairs to rest. You should get some rest too.”
After that, I turned and walked away, my back straight as I left.
After Hayley left, Odessa glared angrily at her retreating figure. An Omega daring to defy her wishes?! Odessa took out her phone and made a call. “Hey, it’s me! Are you free tomorrow?”